Omaha daily bee., 1887-05-13
senator Coneer and His watch.

Senator Conger. member OF the late
legislature, is busy these days exhibiting
n handsome gold watch presented him
by ''old soldiers" as he claims, rs re-
ward for his "untring," "indcfatigable"
and promscuous skirmishing in secur.
ing the location of the soldiers
home at Grand Island. While it
is true that Grand Island will secure
soldiers home, the part that Sen.
ator Conger played in passing the bill, or
in any way aiding its passage, remains
something of a mystery. In the first
place, Conger was notorious as a rail-
road lobbyist, and what he called his lin
fluence" was nothing. But what is
strange about the watch presentation
is the fact that he should claim
the &. A. Il. made him the pres
ent. The BEE at the time this
expression of appreciation, occurred
was furnished with list of names of the
magnanimous doners, and when it re.
members Congers record. it Is forced to
admit that the ''old soldiers" who reck-
lessly subscribed the amounts set apo
site their names," did it only to reward
an old comrade for work well done.
The first soldier subscribing to the
Conger watch fund, was the peerless,
battle-scared veteran Colonel John Nj.
Thurston. He could not restrain his
emotion, as he recalled the bloody bat.
tles-he had read about, and immedi-
ately wrote his name for $2j. While Mr..
Thurston never had chance to smell
rnp al hn aff
ney he knew a good thing when he saw
it, and Comrade Conger had his full
sympathy.
According to the list furnished us the
next old soldier whose young heart
filled with bitter recollections of blood
stained battle fields. the picture of which
he had often looked at when boy some
ten years ago, was General c. w. Mosher.
The general said in as much as Comrade
Conger had been where the bullets were
thickest in the long and hard-fought bat
tie to get the convict labor contract
through, he would cheerfully subscribe
$25.
Next on the list appears the name of
Captain A. s. Paddock, who will soon
write series of war articles for the Cen
tury Magazine. While the captain was
busy during the war, he yet felt like
being one of the old soldiers who would
help buy watch for Conger because
OF his services in securing the
soldiers home at Grand Island. OF
course Comrade Conger voted for Pad
dock for senator-but then that was
nothing.
j. w. Deweese, who was major-a
drum major--perhaps. IN tit of reckless
liberality wrote down $500. Considering
the fact that he had given Comrade Con-
ger several trip passes, his donation was
considered sufficient.
Private Church Howe, who was a
soldier, subscribed $95, but Conger had
a happy way of voting for the Missouri
Pacific right of way, which together with
his services of securing the soldiers s
home at Grand Island, Church thought
that there was nothing like rewarding
the brave.
The list furnished US also goes on to say
that a subscription of "$1OO from the cit
izens of Grand Island" was given the Con-
ger watch fund but the latest advices from
that city say there was no such amount
subscribed, and that the soldiers" men.
toned above, with two additions, fur
nished the watch to Conger, telling him
it cost $255. when in reality it cost $155.
The best thing that MIR. Conger can do is
to give the watch u rest. 1t is well
enough for him to indulge in the grim
pleasantly of telling people that he is
running for congress next year. but he
has made the "old soldier" racket a
chestnut. The Grand Army of Rascals
mentioned above will hold reunion at
the next legislature.